


he's worth it

by your typical rockstar (tamquamm)



Category: Men's Hockey RPF
Genre: Ficlet, Fluff, M/M, Reaction
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-04
Updated: 2020-01-04
Packaged: 2021-02-26 05:01:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,278
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22119364
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tamquamm/pseuds/your%20typical%20rockstar
Summary: Dubas was a little surprised to see media types lingering so long... [he] wondered what we were doing.Waiting for Nylander."Ah... I've waited for him before, too," Dubas quipped, not missing a beat.As the exec exited the rink, he made a point to add, "He's worth it."(Sportsnet)William is pleased to find Kyle's soundbite.
Relationships: Kyle Dubas/William Nylander
Comments: 17
Kudos: 112





	he's worth it

**Author's Note:**

> Hi every day something real from this ship comes out, I cannot believe it, even still.  
Thank you to Kyle for saying these words, and thank you to @eladorabla for this prompt! 
> 
> [Here's the article with the mentioned quote!](https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/quick-shifts-sheldon-keefe-toronto-maple-leafs-dubas-nylander/)
> 
>   
  
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Kyle’s meetings for the day finish early, there isn’t a whole lot to discuss right now, a result of the post-holiday lull mixed with the Leafs’ hot streak of success. Usually he’ll stick around the office all day on a gameday, but when a gift presents itself…

He does his best not to make too much noise, turns the key slowly and carefully opens the door without letting the hinges creak.

It’s William’s naptime, and he’s a pretty light sleeper. 

Kyle takes his time to tug off his sneakers and hang his coat up properly, instead of just throwing it over William’s where it’s been haphazardly hung over the nearest hook to the door. He takes off his glasses, massages his temple while he leaves them next to his keys on the front table.

He ducks into the kitchen and fills the electric kettle, sets it to boil while he tidies up a little. William’s not messy, but there’s little things, like their dirty mugs from the morning left in the sink, the box of power bars left on the counter, the lid to William’s chocolate protein powder screwed on crookedly. 

It’s enough to wait for the water to boil. Kyle makes up a mug with a packet of tea from his side of the box, plucks a slice of lemon for it from the tupperware in the fridge. 

Mug in hand, he tiptoes in his socks down the hall and to the bedroom, careful to avoid the creaky spots in the flooring. William’s left the door just slightly ajar. He always does, when Kyle’s not around. He doesn’t like to to ouright say it, but Kyle knows it makes him feel boxed in and uncomfortable if the door is closed while he sleeps. Unless he has the security of Kyle with him, of course, and that’s something that Kyle will always be honored to be entrusted with.

Anyway, the door is just barely open, and it makes it easier for Kyle to sneak in and check on William without making much noise. 

But where there should a William peacefully sound asleep is instead a William with the covers pulled up to his chin, phone in hand, patiently blinking up at Kyle.

“You’re home,” William says sleepily, at the same time that Kyle gives him a look and says, “You’re supposed to be asleep.”

William rolls his eyes. “Don’t tell my GM,” he grins. “Relax, I was trying to fall asleep. I was still awake when I heard you come in.”

“Oh,” Kyle leans against the doorframe. “Sorry if I kept you up.”

“Nah,” William sits up then, “I was probably going to end up laying here with my eyes closed for an hour, anyway.”

William shuffles around, scoots a little bit more onto his side of the bed. He flips up the corner of the duvet on Kyle’s side. Invitation clear enough if it wasn’t already. 

Kyle isn’t one to deny William anything, even though he knows he should let William sleep. He has to walk around the bed to get to his side, but he goes to William first.

“Here,” he says, grabbing William’s hands and wrapping them around the mug. “You need this more than I do.” He leans down and kisses William on the forehead, soft and sweet. 

“Thanks” William sips it immediately, doesn’t argue. He hums into his mug when Kyle finally manages to climb over him and slip under the duvet with him. 

They fit together easily, naturally. Kyle knows how he likes to be held and William knows how Kyle likes to hold him. It’s second nature, lifting his head to let Kyle get his arm around William’s shoulders. It’s instinctual, really, rearranging his legs until they’re tangled with Kyle’s, scooting his middle until they’re pressed together as much as they can be. 

Kyle lets his head rest on William’s shoulder, and William lets his head rest on Kyle’s.

“Have you seen this?” William grins, soft, setting the mug on the nightstand to swap it out for his phone. “Nice soundbite, babe.”

“Hm?” Kyle leans in closer, curious. “What soundbite?”

William laughs, then, dutifully scrolling through his phone in little flicks. Kyle watches him do it, not really paying attention. He’s more tuned in to things like the smell of William’s shampoo, still fresh from his after-skate shower. 

“Here,” William says, triumphant, easily highlighting a section of text with his pointer finger. Kyle makes to take the phone to read it himself, but William laughs, angles his body away so he can hold it out of reach.

“‘Dubas was a little surprised to see media types lingering so long,’” William reads aloud, “‘Dubas was wondering what we were doing.’”

“Oh--” Kyle says, starting to realize.

“‘Waiting for Nylander’!” William exclaims, cutting him off with much too big of a grin on his face. He pauses then, just long enough to crane his neck and peck Kyle on the cheek. “‘Ah I’ve waited for him before too, Dubas quipped, not missing a beat.’”

“Listen--” Kyle tries again, but William won’t have it, jumping back into his recitation. 

“‘As the exec exited the rink, he made a point to add,’” William stops again, just to blink at Kyle all pretty, the way that drives Kyle crazy. His heart thumps in his chest, and he knows William can feel it, hear it, too. “‘He’s worth it.’”

“_ Babe, _” Kyle whines, half-muffled when he buries his face in William’s shoulder. He feels William’s chest shake from under him when he laughs, full and bright. 

“You’re sweet, you know that, right?” William hums. “You make it sound so romantic.”

“It _ is _ romantic,” Kyle protests, “super romantic.”

“Oh don’t act like you don’t know _ I know _ exactly what you’re doing when you wait up for me postgame,” William grins mischievously, voice trailing into something lower, gravelly. “You can fool the media, but I of all people know you’re waiting to dick me down,” William teases. “Don’t lie to _ me, _ babe.” He’s laughing when he says it, finally turning inward to face Kyle. He laughs even harder when he sees Kyle’s face, dusted pink in a too-telling blush.

He kisses the guilty look right off of Kyle’s face, though, a messy one that is sure to make Kyle forget the embarrassment of being caught and called out. William knows just how to navigate him, to make him blush and then come right back to him.

“Is it true?” William says, soft, close enough that his lips brush over Kyle’s warm skin. “Am I worth it?”

Kyle looks up at him then, despite how close they are already. He looks entirely too soft, what without his glasses and his hair already a little messy from laying with William. It’s his turn to blink up at William with big wide eyes, as telling and honest as can possibly be.

“Worth every moment, every penny, every piece of me. I love you,” Kyle says, soft, barely even a whisper. But William hears him loud and clear, sees it in his eyes, sees the words easy on his lips. His heart clenches, thrums entirely too loud, and William fears that his own cheeks must be just as pink as Kyle’s by now.

“I love you, too, you fucking sap,” William huffs, his laugh light now, but the love and admiration entirely too loud in his voice.

“And that’s why you’re worth it,” Kyle hums, pulling him closer. 

The mug of tea goes cold and William doesn’t really get much of a nap in, but that’s okay. Kyle’s got his arms around him and he’s got his around Kyle.

Nothing could be more perfect.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  



End file.
